Government let British company export nerve gas chemicals to Syria

leeds

Councller (250+ posts)
The Government was accused of “breathtaking laxity” in its arms controls tonight after it emerged that officials authorised the export to Syria of two chemicals capable of being used to make a nerve agent such as sarin a year ago.

The Business Secretary, Vince Cable, will on Monday be asked by MPs to explain why a British company was granted export licences for the dual-use substances for six months in 2012 while Syria’s civil war was raging and concern was rife that the regime could use chemical weapons on its own people. The disclosure of the licences for potassium fluoride and sodium fluoride, which can both be used as precursor chemicals in the manufacture of nerve gas, came as the US Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States had evidence that sarin gas was used in last month’s atrocity in Damascus.
Mr Kerry announced that traces of the nerve agent, found in hair and blood samples taken from victims of the attack in the Syrian capital which claimed more than 1,400 lives, were part of a case being built by the Obama administration for military intervention.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills insisted that although the licences were granted to an unnamed UK chemical company in January 2012, the substances were not sent to Syria before the permits were eventually revoked last July in response to tightened European Union sanctions.
In a previously unpublicised letter to MPs last year, Mr Cable acknowledged that his officials had authorised the export of an unspecified quantity of the chemicals in the knowledge that they were listed on an international schedule of chemical weapon precursors.

Critics of the Business Secretary, whose department said it had accepted assurances from the exporting company that the chemicals would be used in the manufacture of metal window frames and shower enclosures, said it appeared the substances had only stayed out of Syria by chance.
The shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna told The Independent: “It will be a relief that the chemicals concerned were never actually delivered. But, in light of the fact the Assad regime had already been violently oppressing internal dissent for many months by the beginning of 2012 and the intelligence now indicates use of chemical weapons on multiple occasions, a full explanation is needed as to why the export of these chemicals was approved in the first place.”

The Labour MP Thomas Docherty, a member of the Commons Arms Export Controls Committee, will today table parliamentary questions demanding to know why the licences were granted and to whom.
He said: “This would seem to be a case of breath-taking laxity – the Government has had a very lucky escape indeed that these chemicals were not sent to Syria.

“What was Mr Cable’s department doing authorising the sale of chemicals which by their own admission had a dual use as precursors for chemical weapons at a time when the Syria’s war was long under way?”
The licences for the two chemicals were granted on 17 and 18 January last year for “use in industrial processes” after being assessed by Department for Business officials to judge if “there was a clear risk that they might be used for internal repression or be diverted for such an end”, according to the letter sent by Mr Cable to the arms controls committee.
Mr Cable said: “The licences were granted because at the time there were no grounds for refusal.”
Although the export deal was outlawed by the EU on 17 June last year in a package of sanctions against the regime of Bashar al-Assad, the licences were not revoked until 30 July. Chemical weapons experts said that although the two substances have a variety of uses such as the fluoridation of drinking water, sodium and potassium fluoride are also key to producing the chemical effect which makes a nerve agent such as sarin so toxic.

Western intelligence has long suspected the Syrian regime of using front companies to divert dual-use materials imported for industrial purposes into its weapons programmes. It is believed that chemical weapons including sarin have been used in the Syrian conflict on 14 occasions since 2012.
Mr Cable’s department last night insisted it was satisfied that the export licence was correctly granted. A spokesman said: “The UK Government operates one of the most rigorous arms export control regimes in the world.

“The exporter and recipient company demonstrated that the chemicals were for a legitimate civilian end-use – which was for metal finishing of aluminium profiles used in making aluminium showers and aluminium window frames.”


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...ort-nerve-gas-chemicals-to-syria-8793642.html
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Imranpak

Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Western governments have always played both sides of the coin. It arms every military then preaches peace....it kills innocents through various means then invades in the pretence of being saviours. It is fully capable of doing the same to it's own gullible people.
 
Last edited:

Mehrushka

Prime Minister (20k+ posts)
Revealed: Britain sold nerve gas chemicals to Syria !!

Revealed: Britain sold nerve gas chemicals to Syria 10 months after war began

Syria-2242512.jpg


BRITAIN allowed firms to sell chemicals to Syria capable of being used to make nerve gas, the Sunday Mail can reveal today.


Export licences for potassium fluoride and sodium fluoride were granted months after the bloody civil war in the Middle East began.


The chemical is capable of being used to make weapons such as sarin, thought to be the nerve gas used in the attack on a rebel-held Damascus suburb which killed nearly 1500 people, including 426 children, 10 days ago.


President Bashar Assads forces have been blamed for the attack, leading to calls for an armed response from the West.


British MPs voted against joining America in a strike. But last night, President Barack Obama said he will seek the approval of Congress to take military action.


The chemical export licences were granted by Business Secretary Vince Cables Department for Business, Innovation and Skills last January 10 months after the Syrian uprising began.


They were only revoked six months later, when the European Union imposed tough sanctions on Assads regime.


Yesterday, politicians and anti-arms trade campaigners urged Prime Minister David Cameron to explain why the licences were granted.


Dunfermline and West Fife Labour MP Thomas Docherty, who sits on the House of Commons Committees on Arms Export Controls, plans to lodge Parliamentary questions tomorrow and write to Cable.


He said: At best it has been negligent and at worst reckless to export material that could have been used to create chemical weapons.


MPs will be horrified and furious that the UK Government has been allowing the sale of these ingredients to Syria.


What the hell were they doing granting a licence in the first place?


I would like to know what investigations have been carried out to establish if any of this
material exported to Syria was subsequently used in the attacks on its own people.


The SNPs leader at Westminster, Angus Robertson MP, said: I will be raising this in Parliament as soon as possible to find out what examination the UK Government made of where these chemicals were going and what they were to be used for.


Approving the sale of chemicals which can be converted into lethal weapons during a civil war is a very serious issue.


We need to know who these chemicals were sold to, why they were sold, and whether the UK Government were aware that the chemicals could potentially be used for chemical weapons.


The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria makes a full explanation around these shady deals even more important.


Syria-2242513.jpg



Mark Bitel of the Campaign Against Arms Trade (Scotland) said: The UK Government claims to have an ethical policy on arms exports, but when it comes down to practice the reality is very different.


The Government is hypocritical to talk about chemical weapons if its granting licences to companies to export to regimes such as Syria.


We saw David Cameron, in the wake of the Arab Spring, rushing off to the Middle East with arms companies to promote business.


Some details emerged in July of the UKs sale of the chemicals to Syria but the crucial dates of the exports were withheld.


The Government have refused to identify the licence holders or say whether the licences were issued to one or two companies.


The chemicals are in powder form and highly toxic. The licences specified that they should be used for making aluminium structures such as window frames.


Professor Alastair Hay, an expert in environmental toxicology at Leeds University, said: They have a variety of industrial uses.


But when youre making a nerve agent, you attach a fluoride element and thats what gives it
its toxic properties.


Fluoride is key to making these munitions.


Whether these elements were used by Syria to make nerve agents is something only subsequent investigation will reveal.


The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said: The UK Government operates one of the most rigorous arms export control regimes in the world.


An export licence would not be granted where we assess there is a clear risk the goods might be used for internal repression, provoke or prolong conflict within a country, be used aggressively against another country or risk our national security.


When circumstances change or new information comes to light, we can and do revoke licences where the proposed export is no longer consistent with the criteria.


Assads regime have denied blame for the nerve gas attack, saying the accusations are full of lies. They have pointed the finger at rebels.


UN weapons inspectors investigating the atrocity left Damascus just before dawn yesterday and crossed into Lebanon after gathering evidence for four days.


They are now travelling to the Dutch HQ of the Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons.


It could take up to two weeks for the results of tests on samples taken from victims of the attack, as well as from water, soil and shrapnel, to be revealed.


On Thursday night, Cameron referred to a Joint Intelligence Committee report on Assads use of chemical weapons as he tried in vain to persuade MPs to back military action. The report said the regime had used chemical weapons at least 14 times since last year.


Russian president Vladimir Putin yesterday attacked Americas stance and urged Obama to show evidence to the UN that Assads regime was guilty.


Russia and Iran are Syrias staunchest allies. The Russians have given arms and military backing to Assad during the civil war which has claimed more than 100,000 lives.


Putin said it would be utter nonsense for Syria to provoke opponents and spark military
retaliation from the West by using chemical weapons.


But the White House, backed by the French government, remain convinced of Assads guilt, and Obama proposes limited, narrow military action to punish the regime.


He has the power to order a strike, but last night said he would seek approval from Congress.


Obama called the chemical attack an assault on human dignity and said: We are prepared to strike whenever we choose.


He added: Our capacity to execute this mission is not time-sensitive. It will be effective tomorrow, or next week, or one month from now.


And Im prepared to give that order.


Some fear an attack on Syria will spark retaliation against US allies in the region, such
as Jordan, Turkey and Israel.


General Lord Dannatt, the former head of the British Army, described the Commons vote as a victory for common sense and democracy.


He added that the drumbeat for war had dwindled among the British public in recent days.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/britain-sold-nerve-gas-chemicals-2242520


BINGO!!!!
 

such bolo

Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Re: Revealed: Britain sold nerve gas chemicals to Syria !!

کیوں یہ ثابت کرنے پر تلی ہوئی ہیں که برطانیہ اور شام ملے ہووے ہیں
شامیوں کا قتل انکی ملی بھگت ہے

بشار جیسا لادین، بے شرم، بےغیرت اور اپنے ہی عوام کا قاتل انھیں کہاں ملیگا

بس تھوڑی اداکاری کرنی پڑتی ہے
اور سال میں دو چار بیانات اسرائیل کے خلاف سپرے کر کے کھٹملوں کو مار دیتا ہے
پھر اسکی واہ واہ
 

Believer12

Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Re: Revealed: Britain sold nerve gas chemicals to Syria !!

کیوں یہ ثابت کرنے پر تلی ہوئی ہیں که برطانیہ اور شام ملے ہووے ہیں
شامیوں کا قتل انکی ملی بھگت ہے

بشار جیسا لادین، بے شرم، بےغیرت اور اپنے ہی عوام کا قاتل انھیں کہاں ملیگا

بس تھوڑی اداکاری کرنی پڑتی ہے
اور سال میں دو چار بیانات اسرائیل کے خلاف سپرے کر کے کھٹملوں کو مار دیتا ہے
پھر اسکی واہ واہ


کیا تمھارے یہ الفاظ ھم ٹی ٹی پی کے ان دھشت گردوں کیلیے بھی استعمال کرسکتے ھیں جنھوں نے چالیس ھزار معصوم پاکستانی مسلمانوں کو مارا؟
 

Believer12

Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Re: Revealed: Britain sold nerve gas chemicals to Syria !!

کوی بھی مسلمان ملک سواے پاکستان کے اسلحہ بنانے کی ٹینکیکس میں مھارت نھیں رکھتا ایسی ھلاکت آفریں چیزیں ایڈوانس ملکوں میں ھی بنتی ھیں۔
شام میں کیمیای ھتھیار جس نے بھی استعمال کیے وھ اللہ کے عذاب سے نھیں بچے گا لیکن ان یورپی ممالک پر مجھے حیرت ھے کسی نے کیا سچ کھا ھے کہ
وھ قتل بھی کرتے ھیں تو چرچا نھیں ھوتا
ھم آھ بھی کرتے ھیں تو ھو جاتے ھیں بدنام
 

Sib797

MPA (400+ posts)
Re: Revealed: Britain sold nerve gas chemicals to Syria !!

I can smell rat here... Some one is just trying to defend his sectarian faith on this forum without going into neutral analysis of the situation.. This is the down fall of this ummah... Defend your faith and call others responsible for all wrong doings... I don't know when we will learn from our mistake...
 

Lil'Genius

Minister (2k+ posts)
Re: Revealed: Britain sold nerve gas chemicals to Syria !!

May Allah's curse on all Arab kings, Saud-die and their supporters !
 

Humi

Prime Minister (20k+ posts)
Re: Revealed: Britain sold nerve gas chemicals to Syria !!

free mein day daitay....dost dost kay kaam aata hai aakhir...
 

LovelyVirus

Senator (1k+ posts)
Re: Revealed: Britain sold nerve gas chemicals to Syria !!

User is considered worst than seller so here we go. No one would give two hots about UK as seller. In fact this could be a trick news to make people think that Syrian gov. indeed bought and used the chemicals while in reality it could be the rebels, or even other foreign agents using it as a pretext to start war.

Whatever the reality is...the 'chaudries' of the world are always immune to fall back of whatever they do.
 

such bolo

Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Re: Revealed: Britain sold nerve gas chemicals to Syria !!



کیا تمھارے یہ الفاظ ھم ٹی ٹی پی کے ان دھشت گردوں کیلیے بھی استعمال کرسکتے ھیں جنھوں نے چالیس ھزار معصوم پاکستانی مسلمانوں کو مارا؟

جی ہاں کیوں نہیں
مجھے تحریک طالبان سے کوئی ہمدردی نہیں
میں انھیں ویسا ہی دہشتگرد سمجھتا ہوں جیسے ایرانی اور حزب اللہ
کوئی فرق نہیں...سوائے نظریاتی اساس کے

ہاں کوئی لاشعوری طور پر ساتھ دے رہا ہوتا ہے کوئی شعوری طور پر

طالبان کو میں لاشعوری اسرائیلی و امریکی سپورٹر سمجھتا ہوں
اور ایران و حزب اللہ کو شعوری فرینڈلی اپوزیشن

میرا دین مجھے بیگناہوں کے قاتلوں کو سپورٹ کرنا سکھاتا ہی نہیں
چاہے میرا بھائی ہی کیوں نا هو

یہ تم لوگوں کی جرات ہے جو ایرانی تعصب میں لاکھوں کے قاتل کو سپورٹ کرتے هو
 

Back
Top